New Zealand--1: Auckland

Ante script: I've been too busy and without internet access to manage my thoughts/photos into a publishable blog till now. But I've been through a lot, so hopefully some of it will come through. Should have a few more to put out sometime soon.


FYI: So of the countries I've been to, NZ ranks 4th against the value of the US dollar. In descending order: Cyprus pound (since absorbed into the EURO), EURO, $AUD, $NZ, Chinese Yuen, Thai Bhat. Of course all pale in comparison to the Kuwaiti Dinar, the worlds most valuable currency.
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Got hung up in Auckland a little longer than I’d a liked (6 nights), having to secure accommodation around NYE and all. But it is a nice city: very modern, clean, well designed, not too many people. With plenty to do, I never went idle.
A little look around town:
Downtown Auckland by day,

and by night.

Took the ferry over to Davenport, a nice residential suburb on the other side of the bay.

Atop an old volcano (above green mound), there was a great view of the islands around Auckland (Rangitoto behind me).

From atop the volcanic cone, I caught a hitchhike down to the family oriented north shore beaches. A very pleasant place to grow up, I reckon.

Walked over to another old volcano, now overgrown with grass and grazed by cows (in the pit there).

Took another ferry--quite fast:4ok/h--to an island in Auckland's harbor, Rangitoto. Another volcanic rising (there are 50 volcanic cones in 6k's around Auckland), it is the most recent, formed about 600 years ago. Rising out of the ocean before the eyes of the Maori's who lived here at the time.

One of the strangest hikes I've done. Much of the island is covered in volcanic rubble that spewed out not too long ago, and the paths go right through it.

Apparently, this fresh volcanic covering permits an unusual variety of plants: e.g. it has these kidney ferns that conserve water and shrivel when temps rise and water is short,

and it is the largest remaining forest of pohutukawa in the world,




So I'm out Friday night seeking serendipity, as you do traveling with nothing better to do, and I'm walking down the main street of downtown Auckland when I come across a green bus with "End the drug war" painted in big yellow letters on the outside. Struck with curiosity I go over and have a look. Behind a table, there are a couple of older, hippiesh sorta guys handing out little pamphlets of info and having a good time. They were members of NORML doing a regular demonstration in their canna-bus actively expressing their disgruntlement with the legal status of cannabis in NZ. Had a good chat with the dude about the laws regarding weed in a few countries. He had an interesting little pamphlet that showed that showed that %42 people in USA, AUS, NZ, Holland who have smoked weed. The guy I spoke with even knew that both Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich are the only ones outwardly for the decriminalization of pot in the US pres race (I think) .

These guys could not have been demonstrating their defiance of the prohibition of weed in any more public a place. In fact, while I was having a little tour of the inside of their couch filled bus, 3 coppers walked by, gave a sniff, and, despite the fact that it reeked of pot, they had a quick word and carried on. How about that! Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera at the time :(

While in the bus, chatted with some local Aucklanders and some Dutch chicks who popped in (and were as surprised as me by the goings on), and I got a tip from a guy in there of a good dance club just down the way....

After retrieving my camera from my dorm and getting lost trying to find the bus that had since left, I found my way to the little basement club. It was really cool. Despite the fact that many were out of town for New Years, it was evident that there is a great house music scene in Auckland; better than any I've found elsewhere. I was really excited to have found it. Of the 20-40 people who were there at any given time, %70-80 of them were into the music and dancing. I love to see people get into the music and dance, one of my favorite things. It was evident that most came out to listen to the music and dance (not that common in my experience, unfortunately), feeling free and comfortable to do so regardless of the small crowd. The Kiwi's are really friendly people. I mean really friendly. I asked a guy a question about the place and quickly he discovered that I was from Boston, bought me a drink, introduced me to his friends, and made me feel welcome. People were really open and friendly, not something you often find in such loud, dark places.

RE: Music-- So they listen to what they're calling 'dirty house and electro'; was alright, I reckon. A little noisy and disjointed for my taste. I'm more into 'Deep and Sexy house' or 'deep and jazzy' house--like my all time favorite, Yoshiesque. (and if you're interested, there are some great sets on my brother, Nick's website: http://www.liquidmusik.net/

Australia

So it's back to Sydney, Australia where I did my undergrad @ UNSW. Nice to be in a place I am familiar with, also somewhat nostalgic to get back to where I had lived only 4 years ago.

Caught a plane up to Brisbane (1000 k's north) to catch up with a mate of mine from UNSW, Mike. Brisbane is a nice little city--very modern, clean, livable. There is a great tidal river that runs through the city/suburbs, that, even though heavily flooded in the 70's which has made it forever muddy, contains dolphins and small sharks...So no swimming.

Checked out a great Andy Worhol exhibit at the art gallery.

It's interesting how the Aussie's (other countries) can have such insight into the life and times of American culture/history through such figures as Worhol. For example, they had display of his work and newspaper clippings depicting the drama of the JFK assassination that would move anyone. An insight that we (or at least I) get little of in America about the culture/history of other nations...

Mike and I took a drive up to the Sunshine Coast, drove down Steve Irwin way (near Australia Zoo) and went for a hike/climb in the Glasshouse Mountains. A steep climb up (and down),


but right on the coast, it made for great views.

Then over for a visit to the really nice little spread of towns along the Sunny coast, where beaches abound and families congregate for 'Surf Life Saving' events--that they start as young as we start soccer (5-6yo). Even Santa Clause made a visit: driving by on a boat, waving to everyone on the beaches....yes, very strange.

(including those silly hats, whose purpose is entirely unknown/forgotten by the Aussies I've asked)

Popped up to Noosa for a few days, the northern most part of the Sunshine Coast but south of Fraser Island (which I did not make it to). A nice place that has become an Aussie vacation town. But both the weather and the water were warm, the beach was real nice,

and there was a great section of national park to walk through. Including a coastal walk,


with turquise water that made for great snorkeling,

and a section of "tanglewood forest,"

and these weird things,

So did I mention how big surf life saving is in Oz? Instead of pick-up soccer or basketbal, these kids got together to practice racing out about 50 meters into the water...over and over again.

Surf sports are not exclusive to humans either. This dog was getting in on the action with the help of his owner standing and rowing from the back of the surfboard. When the dog fell off,the guy would stand close the end, dipping the board under the water, allowing the dog to climb back on. Very cool.

Here catching a wave (if you can make it out).


I did some surfing myself. The couple of hostels I stayed in gave free use of boogie boards, surf boards and kayaks...being one to always try and get my $'s worth, I did all three. Even though I was able to catch a few waves surfing, I was punished for not wearing a shirt--a rashy as they call them here--and got a pretty bad rash on my chest... my nipples were screaming.

Back at the backpackers that night, I got a dorm bed for a night where I had a snorer/restless sleeper shaking the bed above me and one of the worst snorers I've ever heard in the bed next to me--I swear he had a chainsaw stuck in his throat. Worst of all, they were both huge British guys with lots of tattoos, so I wasn't about to throw something at them or anything. It was horrible, I barely slept. At one point I just yelled out, "Oh my god!"...which did not stir them, of course.


Took a bus back down to Maroochydore and met up with Yasmin, the Aussie chick I traveled with in Thailand. She took me for a great walk in the Kandalilla national park of the Sunny Coast.
Amazing flora




and a really cool swimming hole.


The quality of life up here in the Sunshine Coast of Queensland is very high, I reckon. Warm, clean, not too developed, long stretches of amazing beach...I think I could live here (anywhere between Brisbane and Noosa). Who couldn't live in a place where you can do your yard work, or even walk into a supermarket (yes, i've seen it), like this :)

Between the abounding lawn bowling clubs, surf life saving clubs, beaches, parks, and weather that permits them to be outside most of the year, it is a lot easier for people/families to spend quality time together than places like Boston. I reckon it contributes (significantly) to why Australian's seem to be more chipper and amiable than other peoples. And maybe it helps that they have road signs like, "smell the roses, make time for loved ones."

Then it was back to Sydney for a week around Christmas. As weird as it is to be in the hot sun on the beach around Christmas, I'm finding some way to get by. .. Difficult :)

Stayin at a kickass house of 5 guys with a 2 terabite server full of movies, TV shows, etc., 2 couches, 4 lounge chairs, and huge love sack. With people stopping by most every night, it was a happening place to hang out. Here Toaks rocking out on Wii 'guitar hero'

On the recommendation of a friend, I went for a snorkel at Gordon's Bay Marine Reserve between Clovelly and Coogee beach (why I had never thought to do it in the 3 years I lived there, I don't know).

It was pretty cool. Dove down and smashed the little muscle things attached to the rocks and heaps of fish swarmed in around me. I did it a few times and created a bit of a following, pretty bloody cool. Although I didn't see any of the stingrays I'm told live down there.

The weather in Sydney had, for the most part, been pretty crappy: overcast, cool, some rain. So I was going to go and ask for a refund on my plane ticket, but on my last day--of course-- the sun came out to play and I was happy.
Dave and I at Maroubra beach,

Thailand- 2

While in China I pushed back my departing flight from Bangkok to Sydney a couple weaks. In part cause I thought it more worthwhile to spend more time in a place I have not been and in part in acquissence to the impotence of the US dollar. So with more time, after the islands I went up north.

I took a 12 hour bus from Bangkok to Chiang Rai, a small city just south of the border from Laos and Burma (where there is some awful stuff goin on). Arriving at 5am, I walked a cold, dark few Ks up to a great little hostel where I got my own (grimey) room for less than $3--no frills of course.
Soon enough I booked myself a trek in the mountains near by. Ended up with 2 Italians, an American chick, and a sensational Thai guide named Fido.

A long tail boat ride up the Mae Kok river

brought us to an elephant camp

where these Thai elephants were kept. (As bad as it may seem that they are held in captivity, they are safe here and otherwise going extinct.)

There were even some elephants with TWO trunks! yipes!

Only one grabbed for food though.

After a little ride on the back of these guys, we went off for a fantastic hike into the jungle.

It was pretty darn lush.

Heaps of banana trees (with banana flowers, below), guava trees, rice patties,

these awsome bamboo forests,

and loads of cool waterfalls

After walking through what were once fields of poppy plants (now eradicated with the help of the US and their satellites), we eventually got up to a Lahu hilltribe village where we stayed for the night.

"Jesus came on 4-wheel drive," said Fido. And many were converted to the Western life that probably came with Christianity... Who can resist the advents of technology. "The big snake came and everything changed," said someone in town. The coming of the road, connecting the town to the outside world, changed their lives forever. Although one positive thing that it brought (I think) were solar panels (freely distributed by the government to any residence) that they use for light at night.

Fido and a few friends (and he had many, i.e. whenever we came across some people on our trek. He'd hiked it a fair few times) cooked up a storm in this quite rudimentary kitchen

The cracks in the bottom of the bamboo floor served as a convenient trash bin; from which the pigs below fed.

Such great fruit:

In the villages they seemed to make everything from bamboo: butter knives, spears, cups, tools, firewood, smoking pipe, and virtually every part of their houses seemed to be made from the stuff.

Walking through the hill side villages was pretty neat. They were all a bit different: architecture, dress, livelihood...

And it finished with a hot spring...they've figured out a pretty good formula.

Couple days later I rented a bike in Chiang Rai, as I love to do, and just road into the farmland/fields. Came across a cool Buddha sculpture on the face of a cliff

and some caves high up on the rock face with some cool statues inside.


I tell ya, it's quite a different experience traveling in Asia vs. Europe. When you go to temples and tourist sites in Asia, you aren't surrounded by throngs of tourists like I was in much of Spain+Italy. In some places, like these, I was there by myself: in a cave/temple with the statues, in a cool silence, alone.

More interesting and worthwhile an experience if you ask me. Furthermore, food is often less than a dollar or two, accommodation less than $5, fixing my shoes 20cents,

renting a bike $2, 4 hour bus ride $3,

etc. etc., i.e. you can really enjoy yourself! (it's just the plane ticket to get here that's expensive, of course). Then again, I go pretty much as cheap as I can; one could always spend more.

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Met an Australian chick in Chiang Rai (who happens to live in an area of Queensland that I'll be going to in Australia) who I caught a bus down to Chiang Mai with. Just rocked up to the city and found a double room for $2.50 each...

Chiang Mai is chalk full of temples; you can't go a block inside the moat (old city area) without coming across one or three. There are far more temples here in Thailand than there were in China; I reckon the Thai are far more religious a people than the Chinese--both in terms of the number of temples and, more significantly, their behavior. I even saw a monk bless someone's new car.
Although often similar, I quite liked checkin 'em out... here's a taste of walking the wats:

Traveling with the Aussie chick has been great. We get along real well and I'm getting to practice up on my Oz-speak before I return to Australia (where I did my undergrad degree). . e.g. an interchange we had a couple nights ago: Hudson-"i'm just takin the piss" Yasmin-"don't make me chuck the shits" Hudson-"well you better watch out or it might hit the fan".

We've been doin a lot of hitchhiking around Chiang Mai. The Thai turned out quite open to the notion--I've goten 4 in 2 days. One on the back of a little girls moped (just down the street). Don't know why, but hitchhiking is so much fun!

Lastly,

Lady-boys! I don't know what's up with this, but in Thailand there seems to be a third sex recognized by both society and officially by the government, I'm told. Lady-boys, not quite drag-queens but similar, they live everyday life as females. It's scary, you have to catch yourself sometimes. I've seen 'em as young as 15 or so up to late 20's, they dress hyper-feminine and often really look like girls/women. I think they're usually gay, although often act more aggressive than straight men... So watch out. Yipes!